Not So Happily Ever After
by MoonBeam0602
Summary: Lydecker fionds Max and takes her back to Manticore.


Not So Happily Ever After  
  
Max hopped on her Ninja and sped away from Jam Pony. She maneuvered her way through the crowded streets, soon reaching Foggle Towers. She parked her bike next to Logan's Aztec.  
  
She darted into the building hoping the elevator would be ready, it wasn't. After what seemed like an eternity the doors opened. Max stepped inside and pushed the button for the penthouse level.  
  
In a moment she was outside Logan's door. She picked the lock as usual. "Logan?"  
  
It wasn't until she stepped inside that she realized there was broken glass everywhere. "Logan!" she called now slightly panicked. She ran through the apartment, the glass crunching under her feet.  
  
She ran into the living room, stopping short at the side of Lydecker. Flashbacks of her past floated through her mind. Logan was in his wheelchair a few feet away. Max could see that he was frightened by the look on his face.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Max demanded.  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." Lydecker said smoothly.  
  
Max stared at him, her eyes boring holes through him.  
  
"Max," Lydecker sneered. "Do you consider me your enemy?"  
  
"I sure as hell don't consider you a friend!"  
  
"Didn't I teach you to kill your enemies?" Lydecker said.  
  
Max's hands curled into fists at her side.  
  
"You seem to have forgotten what I taught you Max." Lydecker commented.  
  
"What do you want?" Max all but growled.  
  
"You Max. for you to come back to Manticore." he pulled a gun out of his jacket putting it against Logan's head. Logan's eyes opened wide in fear. Max stepped forward. "Freeze Max." He undid the safety on the gun. "You agree to come back to Manticore he lives, you disagree he dies."  
  
"I agree." Max said instantly. "Put the gun down." Lydecker lowered the gun.  
  
"Max!" Logan said.  
  
"Do you agree?" Lydecker asked again.  
  
"I said yes already." Max snapped.  
  
"What was that soldier?!" Lydecker yelled.  
  
Max stood up straight and saluted. "Yes Colonel Lydecker Sir!" A tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
"Emotion is weakness!" Lydecker said. "Say it!"  
  
Max swallowed and took a breath. "Say it!" Lydecker ordered.  
  
"Emotion is weakness!"  
  
It hurt Logan to see his usually tough Max crying, and giving in for him. To see what she had once gone through, and had hoped to never have to endure again.  
  
"To show you that I'm not such a bad guy, I"ll give you five minutes to say good-bye." Lydecker walked out of the room.  
  
Instantly Max dove into Logan's lap, straddling him in order to look directly at him. More tears rolled down her cheeks.  
  
"Max don't do this" Logan said.  
  
"Logan I could never live without you. And knowing your here and being able to think about you will keep me sane."  
  
"But Max."  
  
Max lowered her voice. "I'll get back out. Just pretend to be loyal and escape."  
  
"I love you Max."  
  
"I love you to." She kissed him. It was deeper, more intense than their first kiss. Yet it was another kiss good-bye.  
  
"Get up soldier" Lydecker said walking into the room.  
  
Max got off Logan's lap. She was no longer crying.  
  
"Repeat what I say. show him you are not the girl next door. Stand up straight!"  
  
Max stood up.  
  
"Emotion is weakness!" Lydecker yelled.  
  
"Emotion is weakness!"  
  
"Love is weakness!"  
  
Love is weakness" Max echoed.  
  
"I am your friend!"  
  
"You are my friend!"  
  
"The enemy of my friend is my enemy!"  
  
Max repeated what he said.  
  
Logan sat watching, not knowing what to do. He never took his eyes off Max. He could see the pain in her eyes as she repeated Lydecker.  
  
"He" Lydecker said pointing to Logan "Is my enemy! What is he to you?"  
  
Max said nothing. "Say it!" Lydecker ordered.  
  
"No!"  
  
Lydecker hit her and she immediately fell to the floor curling into a ball. She put her hands over her head. Lydecker beat her until she whispered "he is my enemy"  
  
"Louder!" he yelled.  
  
"He is my enemy!" Max said, once again crying.  
  
"you obey orders when they are given! Or you pay the price. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes Colonel Lydecker Sir!"  
  
Lydecker pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number. "We are ready drop the ladder down." He hung up and turned to Max. "There's a helicopter hovering over the building." A rope ladder dropped down through the broken sky light.  
  
Max touched Logan's cheek and blew him a kiss.  
  
"Go Max." Lydecker said. Max just stood there staring at Logan. "Go Max!"  
  
"Good-bye Logan." Max whispered. She walked over to the ladder and began to climb.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to see that son." Lydecker said as he followed Max up the ladder. And with that he was gone.  
  
Logan rolled over to the window and watched the light of the helicopter fade away into the darkness. He buried his head in his hands and for the first time since his parents died, he cried. 


End file.
